Winter Wonderland
by RenaRoo
Summary: Starfire is enjoying the snow the Big Apple has to offer, and Batgirl is just happy that she can enjoy all that Starfire has to offer, too. [Batgirl and the New Titans AU]


mistressgray-posts prompted: How about snow starfire and batgirl (any of them)?

A/N: I couldn't help but add this prompt to my Batgirl and the New Titans AU because I just have such a lowkey burning for this ship and needed an excuse to fulfill it, so thank you so much for the prompt!

Batgirl, the New Teen Titans and associated characters © DC Comics

 **Winter Wonderland**

Insulation in the suit was something of a marvel itself. The padding was mostly for protection, some inserts and the like for comfort in wearing, but the warmth had been something she worked out during the late, bitter nights on the rooftops of Gotham City. Cold was as much of an enemy as a perp with a gun sometimes, and Barbara Gordon earned her cowl as a crimefighter through innovation above all else.

So it was impressive, sitting by the entrance to Titans Tower with Starfire and feeling chilled to the bone despite her own proper wear and insulation.

Of course, it also wasn't a sight that Barbara would have missed for the world.

Having been a crimefighter for as long as Barbara had been Batgirl, having been around the amazing people and especially leading the Titans for the time that she had, she was not unfamiliar with the idea of a woman who could fly. But what she saw in Kory was not simple flying. What Barbara saw was…

There was a grace and poise to the way the princess floated above the earth — she didn't fly so much as she danced through the rays of sun and twirled in a pirouette with the winds. Her golden skin glowed with warmth even with so little of it covered in the harsh New York snowstorm. Barbara had never felt such a combination of chill and radiance at the same time before.

It was enough to stop the aspiring congresswoman in her tracks and keep her there, captivated by the allure of the Tamaranean phenom.

And, perhaps, Barbara would have stood there dumbly even longer had those gorgeous, alien eyes not turned and shined brightly on her instead of the overcast clouds.

The smile that Kory gave Babs could not have been matched by a thousand fireplaces.

"Batgirl!" Starfire greeted cheerfully, gliding down with her toes at a point just before they touched the ground as weightless as a feather. "I hope you do not find me unsocial. I know that everyone is inside. But the outside is just so beautiful today, I had to enjoy it."

In a sense, Barbara could relate since Kory's amusement was so beautiful that _she_ had to enjoy it in person. But it was a thought she kept down, buried beneath the anxieties and worries and a million other mindless memories a less eidetic mind would gladly do away with.

There was one thing that Barbara tended to agree with Bruce Wayne a little too much on, and that was that emotions in place of logic and preparation were messy, uncouth, and dangerous.

For better or worse.

"Everyone needs some time alone to appreciate the little things," she agreed instead. "Like snow."

"Yes! If only other _little things_ were as wondrous as snow," Koriand'r replied almost coyly before lifting up her chin and allowing more falling flakes to hit her alien warmed body with a near immediate hiss of sublimation. "The seasons of earth, so far, have been _marvelous._ Truly, X'Hal intended very much for me to be here."

There was a bit of a crinkle under Barbara's cowl at the mention of X'Hal. They had only just finished thwarting Blackfire's tumultuous and deadly plan of capturing the very essence of this god Kory worshipped, and having come face to face with a god had caused some issues with Barbara's meticulously plotted understanding of how the universe worked. If only a small hitch of it.

The subject still caused at least some mild discomfort for her.

"But you must be here to appreciate the snow, too," Kory deduced. "I should let you and go back inside. You even brought a drink!"

All but snapped out of her thoughts, Barbara stiffened at the notion and looked Kory's way again before glancing down to the two steaming mugs in her mitts. Then back to Koriand'r. "Oh, no! Kory, don't go inside. I just saw that you were out here and…" _was drawn out here too, needed to admire you, wanted to make sure you didn't catch hypothermia, am having trouble letting you out of my sight now that I see how dangerous the universe is for you and I'm sorry I didn't see more and do more sooner,_ "I thought now would be a great time to introduce you to another earth tradition."

The pause was moments too long, the excuse flimsy. Her performance would have been evaluated a thousand different ways and none of them good back on her campaign trail.

But, to Barbara's great relief, Kory mercifully smiled and then looked even excitedly toward the drinks at hand.

"Oh! Thank you so very much. This is too kind! What is this?" she asked in rapid succession.

"It's hot chocolate. With marshmallows," Barbara answered, handing one mug to her teammate. "Usually we make it when it's cold and snowing outside to warm you from your tummy up." The comment was so saccharine that it almost made Barbara roll her eyes as it left her lips. "Sorry, bad habit. It's something my dad says about hot chocolate all the time. He still thinks I'm eight sometimes."

"Fathers are wonderful like that," Kory agreed, taking a sip from her hot chocolate.

"Yeah, they are," Barbara nodded, drinking her own.

There was a small silence, with the two of them enjoying their drinks and staring at each other as they did so. It was either awkward admiration or a stare off which Barbara's honor as team leader relied on and there really wasn't any way her social bankruptcy could help her decide which it was.

"Barbara, you have a shiver," Kory announced, breaking the ice so to speak. "Let me warm you up."

Confused, Barbara blinked a few times. She was still stuck on the first word, let alone the rest of the sentence. "You just called me Barbara. I think that's the first time you've called me Barbara."

"I know you prefer Batgirl in costume. You are _always_ in costume, too," Kory hummed in return, nearing Barbara.

"It's fine… I just…" Slowly, Barbara's brain and that eidetic memory let her skip ahead to the rest of what Starfire had said. "Wait, what do you mean by—"

Once she was close enough, Kory — who was still at least a head taller than Barbara even barefoot — stooped down, pressing her fire hot body against Barbara's as she wrapped her arms around to the back of Barbara's neck and down to where her utility belt came up against her waist. The padding in both areas was padded, though relatively less padded than areas which needed less motion. Even still, though, every inch of her that was embraced by Koriand'r was heated up with the loving intensity of an electric blanket.

It was unlike any experience that Barbara had had before. Starfire _truly_ lived up to her name.

And even though there was no part of Kory touching them, Barbara felt the most heat rise to her cheeks in a burning flush.

"I… I'm glad you like the hot chocolate," Barbara stuttered uncharacteristically.

"I am glad you like the snow with me," Kory answered happily.

Then, just as Barbara was certain she had been far too forward throughout the exchange, the beautiful alien princess kissed her lips and warmed them, too.


End file.
